Those Grey Eyes
by 24green.roses
Summary: At a Masquerade Ball, Hermione's prince charming isn't who she expected. Dramione fic-let
1. The Ball

**Those Grey Eyes**

**Dramione fic-let (3 chapters) : sort of a hp fairy tale**

**Setting: After Voldemort's down fall, but everyone came back to retake 7th year cause the teachers and parents wanted to properly prep the kids for life (aka erase the Cruciatis curse from their memory), or something of the sort. Ron didn't love Hermione, he's still with Lavender, or another girl, make ur pick I don't care.**

**POV: Hermione's**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**xoxoxoxox -- Chapter 1: The Ball --** **xoxoxoxox**

I scanned the different announcements posted all over the school. They announced Hogsmeade visits, dances, events, Slug parties, anything of importance. I stopped at one in particular:

***

Masquerade Ball:

6th-7th years only-hosted by Slughorn- Masquerade

Ball hosted on the eve of October 31, Hallowe'en, in which all 6th – 7th grade students may attend.

Time: 6 pm – 12 am

Dress: formal (not a costume party), masks required

***

A masquerade ball; it actually sounded _fun_. I read the announcement again, and then turned and made room to allow others to read them. Finally, there would be a place where no one needed to know exactly who I was. No one would stare at me thinking_ that's the girl that helped Harry Potter defeat_ _You-Know-Who_, no first years would stare at me in wonder, or Slytherin's harboring bad feelings eye me in the corridors. None of that; it would be a place where I could just be myself and not have to worry about what people expected of me these days. I remember not sitting with Harry and Ron the other day, and "oh no," the world was going to end.

I turned around and hit someone on accident. "Oh my, I am so sorry…"

I looked up to see who it was. "Watch it Granger, you're getting your mudblood _filth_ all over me."

I swallowed and gritted my teeth as a failed attempt to calm myself. It was Malfoy. I exchanged my sympathy look with one of sheer dislike. I looked him right in the eye and said, "Piss off, Malfoy."

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, _Granger_, I believe you ran into me."

"Your point?" I asked, growing agitated.

"You owe _me_ an apology."

I scoffed as loudly as I could, "The day I apologize to you is the day you become halfway decent of a human being."

"Are you implying something Granger?"

"Yes, but you can't seem to get it through your thick head."

Malfoy took a step closer to me, and I just stood straighter and eyed him, my fingers inches from my wand. Suddenly someone pulled me back; it was Harry. "Hermione what are you doing?" he asked looking around him to see others watching us, most likely gossiping.

I looked away from Malfoy. "Sorry, got carried away," I said through my teeth, as _if_ I were calm. I forced a grimace, as a sort of apology toward Malfoy. Harry didn't say anything else, but he escorted me away from Malfoy, trying to calm me down, and more likely, get those gossipers' eyes off me.

*****

Malfoy was soon forgotten, as I had more important things to do, like getting ready for this upcoming ball. All the 6th and 7th year students were talking about it, and I was excited as well, to have fun without the restraints of a reputation to keep…

*****

The day of the ball...

I took in a breath, as I hid behind the closed door of the ball. I was late. Late was hardly even the word. Crookshanks had destroyed my dress right before I had put it on, and I had to look up a spell, and when that failed, Ginny- my life savior, had come in and said something along the lines of, _I have enough brothers that I found dress repairing spells_. And here I was, practically an hour late.

I took in a second breath, and listened to the exhale. I was ready to do this; no one would know who I was with this mask. There was no reason for anyone to know who I was. My sole purpose tonight was to just have fun, then forget about it tomorrow.

I walked into the view of the opened door. I found the party in full swing, and heard a song end. Everyone turned to hoot and cheer the band. I walked into the ball with the clicking of my shoes on the stone floor echoing so loudly in my ears, I wondered if everyone could hear them. I felt as if hundred's of eyes were on me, not sure if it was my imagination or I was really being watched. My eyes fell on a pair of familiar, grey ones. And yet today, they seemed luring.

I didn't break my gaze with those grey eyes as I walked over and sat in a chair at the edge of the dance floor. I almost called him over; I couldn't help it, those grey eyes were too captivating. His eyes twinkled behind his mask, and when a song ended, he began to walk toward me, looking me over. He smiled across the way, and I couldn't help but smile back.

He was handsome, light blond hair, black suit, a dark green tie. He walked with a sort of well-bred elegance, but that wasn't the most handsome thing about him. It was his eyes. His grey eyes that held so much in them. I couldn't help but stare into them, wondering what kind of person lay under such a beautiful, enticing, pair of eyes. He paused in front of my chair. He smiled, and I noticed that half of his smile rose higher then the other, "You want to dance?" he asked, holding out a hand.

I felt a blush creep up. He was very good looking. My heart fluttered as I responded, "Sure." He smiled wider and I took the offered hand. He brought it to his lips and kissed it, and then began to lead me to the dance floor. Tonight was most definitely going to be fun.

Once we reached the dance floor, a slow song began to play. I didn't know if this was the best song to have my first dance with this boy whose eyes were too divine for his own good, but when I looked at him questioningly, he only smiled encouragingly and took my wrists, and gently placed them around his neck. He placed his hands on my waist. I looked up into his eyes, and smiled, "Why'd you come in late?" he asked leisurely.

"Fashionably late?" I tried.

He smirked, in a way that seemed oddly familiar, like his eyes, though I couldn't place where I had seen it before. "You really expect me to believe that?"

I smiled and gave in, looking past his shoulder. "I suppose not."

I heard a chuckle, and it brought my gaze back up. "So honestly, why are you late?" I didn't get to say anything else as the song ended, and we turned to clap and cheer.

Another song started up, this time a little more upbeat. I supposed, regretfully, that my time with him was done. I began to head off the dance floor, he grabbed my hand, and I turned back around, "Hey where are you going?" I opened my mouth to explain, but he cut me off, "Don't you want to dance again?" he asked with a smile, but I wasn't so sure that he would accept a no.

Fortunately for him, I _wanted_ to dance again. I felt my face brighten with another smile as I replied, "Sure."

The night went by quickly. I danced with my mysterious stranger all night. We were interrupted, with the occasional girl wanting to dance with him, or the occasional boy wanting to dance with me. But I always found those eyes again. I always found those grey eyes when I danced, I always found him again, and he found me. We always knew where the other was. After what seemed like the hundredth dance, he offered me his hand once again, "Care to take a break?"

I nodded, "Okay."

He guided me to a couple of seats far from the still energetic crowd. He didn't release my hand though. I found that he didn't find it awkward in the least to _not_ let go of my hand. Though I didn't really care, I felt those sparks when he held my hand, that anticipation factor beating inside me when he touched me. He took my hand and brought it into his lap. The band announced the ball was ending in half an hour. He didn't turn to me, nor I to him, but he began to talk. "Would you tell me who you are?" he asked lightly.

I turned to him suddenly, "Why?" I asked him off guard. Who would want to know who I was? The braniac that followed Harry Potter around, the girl that was supposed to marry one of her best friends, the one that is known simply as Harry Potter's friend. I didn't want him to know any side of that, I just wanted him to know _me_, Hermione Granger, the girl that just wanted to make a decent living, the girl who loved to be with nature, the girl that loved books and reading, just because it was all fun. If I told him, it would be shattered.

His eyes turned serious and cold, something I didn't think could happen, but it did. "When we leave here tonight, is it all just going to be a dream?" I swallowed. I didn't know what my intentions of coming to this ball were anymore. My first intentions were to just have fun, but then I didn't think I'd actually be attracted to someone. I didn't think I'd want to stay with one person in particular; I didn't know. He turned to me. "If so, let's not let tonight end." He fingered my chin gently so I was looking in his eyes, they weren't cold anymore. He eyed my lips and I knew what he was doing, I didn't question it, I closed my eyes, and leaned in as well.

Something pushed me away, and I almost fell off the back of my chair. I caught myself and looked at what just happened. A girl was suddenly sitting in his lap, _his_ lap. "Draco!" she cooed. _Draco_? I asked myself. "I've been looking for you _all_ evening," she rolled the word "all" in her mouth, enunciating it, while inching closer to him. "Were you avoiding me?" She leaned in further, forcing him to wrap an arm around her.

I, on the other hand, had a different agenda, "_Malfoy_?" I asked completely stunned.

"Yes, I am Draco Malfoy. What's your name?" he looked at me questioningly, but I shook my head. This was all a mistake. _Draco Malfoy_ was my prince? This couldn't be right.

I continued to shake my head as I stood up in front of Draco, and who, undoubtedly, was Pansy Parkinson. "I'm sorry, this was a mistake. I have to go." I took a step forward, and he dropped Parkinson on the chair. She squealed in protest, but he grabbed my arm. I stiffened at the touch.

He spun me back around, "Who are you?" he asked me.

I felt my heart pounding, my blood flowing, and my hands begin to shake. I reached up to my mask shakily; this was the only way to get him to understand how this was a mistake. I looked into his eyes, his stunning grey eyes. Slowly, I pulled the string keeping my mask in place, and caught it as it fell from me. I looked into his eyes again, hoping to find comfort, instead finding shock. "Granger?!" I heard Parkinson squeal.

I looked anywhere but at him. "I have to go." I turned, and dropped my mask in the process. I didn't bother picking it up, and ran out the door. I couldn't believe it, out of all the people that those perfect grey eyes could have belonged to, it had to be him. Out of all the wonderful, nice, intelligent people I could have met tonight, I stayed with him. The whole night I could have spent having a fairy tale, wasted. My heart was pounding, my pulse was racing. I was about to _kiss_ Draco Malfoy, my enemy. I didn't stop running until I reached my room in the Gryffindor tower.

**************

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	2. The Next Day

**Those Grey Eyes**

**POV: Hermione's**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**AN: THX so much for all the positive feedback. You all are amazing. :D **

**xoxoxoxox-- Chapter 2: The Next Day --xoxoxoxox**

I woke up to a sunny day. The sun was shining as if the earth hadn't crashed and burned last night, as if everything I thought I knew was not questioned. I got dressed and closed the door to my room to not disturb the others. It was early, I could tell. I stumbled into a chair in the common room, and stared into the fire pathetically, desperately, as if it held all my answers. I began to think of last night, how I had danced with my beautiful, mysterious stranger, laughing, dancing, flirting. I could still recall the smell of his cologne, the way his eyes danced when he smiled, the exact shade of his eyes, unique in its own respect. I could still remember how he leaned in to kiss me, and my fairy tale was inches from complete.

But then my fairy tale ended tragically. It became midnight; the magic lost, the coach once again became a pumpkin. I ran a hand through my hair and simultaneously closed my eyes to try and clear my head. But, I couldn't. He filled my thoughts. It was worse with my eyes closed; I couldn't escape him. I knew I was supposed to forget about it. I wanted to forget about it. I did want to forget about it, right? I thought once again of last night, and I began to wonder, did I really want to forget? I closed my eyes and danced with him once again, and I realized I didn't.

I pulled my cloak sleeve back and saw it was late enough for the Great Hall to be open. I stood up and walked toward the portrait hole. I headed for breakfast, and hopefully Draco.

The Great Hall was in sight when someone pulled my arm into a classroom, and shoved me against the closed door, I don't know what came over me, but the first thing out of my mouth was, "Bloody Hell?!"

"_Granger_," I heard a cold voice drawl, and my breath got caught in my throat. Should I tell him? I didn't want last night to end.

"Malfoy," I breathed; it came out as if I was in fear, partly a question.

"You," he was pacing in front of me, and I watched him. "_You_?" he stopped and faced me. "You're the one that I danced with last night?! This belongs to _you_?" I looked at the object he grabbed off a desk. It was my mask. I had forgotten I had even dropped it.

"And if it is?" His tone began to worry me.

Malfoy shook his head to himself and rolled his eyes. "You couldn't be, not a _mudblood_." I felt slapped, but then my anger kicked in as well. I couldn't believe this. I had wanted to be with him? This jerk of a guy? I was disgusted.

"Well, I'm sorry I wasn't the perfect pureblood you wanted, but you weren't exactly my prince charming either," his eyes were cold, I matched them.

Malfoy picked up my mask and threw it at me. "Put it on," he said as an order, like I was one of his goons.

"No, you have no right to-," he grabbed it back and pulled me forward. He placed the mask on me and tied it without any regards toward me; he just completely wrapped his arms around me to put the mask on. When he was done, it didn't get any better. He shoved me back and I hit the wall with a thud. He looked at me for what seemed like a century, and I waited.

I began to feel rather odd just standing there with a mask on, and reached up to take it off when, "You _are_ her," he concluded, half disbelievingly.

I dropped my hands, "Yes," I nodded slowly. Malfoy pulled me forward, mask on and all, and wrapped his arms around me. I tried to struggle, but his grip was as solid as iron. I finally gave up.

"I need to tell _her_ something; _h__er_, as in the girl last night. So you, Granger, just shut the bloody hell up and don't say anything."

"I _am_ her-," I began.

He cut me off. "Last night was _different_." I quieted, as his tone became as gentle as it was last night, I realized why I didn't recognize him, he never talked to me in that tone to my face before. "When you walked in, I honestly almost tripped over the girl I was dancing with, I was so stunned. So I came at first just to see who you were." He ran a hand through my hair, and took in a breath, "Then we danced, and I've never felt that way before. _I _didn't want to leave, and trust me, I usually do the leaving. So when you left you really got to me. I thought of you all night and everything I felt for you was true, but in the end, we can't be together."

I felt like a hole was just carved into my heart, there was no longer anger in me, but confusion. Draco gently pulled the string keeping my mask in place, and when it was untied, he pulled it off me gently. He didn't look me in the eye as he placed it on the desk. When he did look up at me, his eyes held the usual coldness, his soft side gone. But it didn't make sense if he felt for me too. "Why can't we b-?"

"Granger," he spat, cutting me off again. "Last night didn't happen," he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What?" I asked.

"Last night was a mistake. I never would have danced with you if I knew who you were; a," he paused and swallowed, "a _mudblood_," He stared at me for a second, and I felt his eyes shift to that calm, beautiful look of yesterday. But he snapped out of it, leaving me in shock. He stepped past me and gripped the door knob.

"What?" I asked, shocked. I twirled around to see the back of his head, his hand on the door knob. "You can't just say that after what you said about last night, you just spelled out that you care for me."

Draco shook his head, "It wasn't meant to be."

Draco opened the door and took a step. "What if it _is_ meant to be?!" I shouted desperately. Draco only took a second step shaking his head no, and closed the door behind him.

I didn't move until I heard the door close, my pulse still racing, in anger, in love, I didn't know. I fell to my knees, weak. I swallowed back a tear. It just didn't make sense. He just left me here, abandoned, after almost spelling out that he loved me, or at least cared. He said he thought about me. And yet we could never be? My reasonable side tried to reason that he was my enemy. I hated him. And yet, an even greater part of me still wished that he'd come back.

******

Weeks, days, and even hours, went by. Every second took away my memories of Draco, every minute making my thoughts of that night fade in my memory ever so slowly, and there was nothing I could do about it. I hated it. Draco-my prince charming, was leaving me.

******

A few weeks after the ball, we had another go around. It was outside the Great Hall.

Draco ran into a girl outside the hall, making her fall over. "Watch it _first_ year," Draco snickered when he looked up and saw me. Our eyes connected. He looked at me in a fearful, surprised sort of way. I looked down at the girl to make sure she was okay, and when I saw she was, I looked back up to Draco. He was now staring at me despicably. "Want something, Granger?"

I looked at him, deciphering his glance. Did he really mean that? It seemed off, like he didn't _want_ to say it. "Back off, Malfoy." I turned to see whose voice it was, and saw that it was Ron.

"Weasley," Draco said with a sneer. His gaze shifted to me, "Still hanging around with mudbloods? Blood traitor." I tore my eyes from Draco. That kind of comment still hurt, no matter how many times said, and from Draco, I felt like breaking into a million pieces.

Ron moved in to tackle Malfoy, but Goyle cut in front of Draco in defense, Draco sneering all the while. I grabbed Ron's arm. "Stop it, Ron. It's what he wants us to do. Don't give in," I whispered. Ron didn't look away from Draco, I tried to calm him, but his fury was building.

I heard whispers around me. People were gathering all around us. I began to read there lips, I saw people whispering: _That's them, Harry's friends._ I saw: _And they are the great wizards of the future?_ I heard the words, _Cheat, slut, using them, fighting over her? Not even that pretty._ I tried to ignore it; I looked to Ron again. The crowd settled on a chant, "Fight!" It buzzed in my ears, didn't these people have lives? Couldn't they just leave me alone? "Fight! Fight! Fight!" What if I bothered them in every aspect of there lives? "Fight! Fight! Fight!" I looked around, more people were gathering.

I felt movement and I looked to Ron. He had had pulled his arm out of my hold. "I'm going in first," he grumbled irritated, most likely from the lack of privacy. He pushed his way through the crowd and made his way into the Great Hall. The people whined with his leave and dispersed.

I looked back to Draco. Goyle had shifted to behind him. I tried to catch his gaze, but he avoided it. I looked down at the first year girl picking up her things, and stooped down to help her. "Thanks," she said.

"No problem." She smiled and walked into the hall.

I stood, and Draco pushed past me hitting my shoulder. "Mudblood," he muttered. I was so stunned by the comment that Goyle shoved me over too, and I wasn't balanced enough to stay on my feet. When I finally got inside, I sat next to Ron and Harry. I looked across the room to Draco. His arms were already around two girls, and he was smiling without a care in the world.

*******

That wasn't the last time I saw him in the hall, but I noticed that there'd always be that second that our eyes would connect with the same luring appeal that brought me to him on that night. Then one of us would blink, breaking our connection, and his eyes would take up that outer shell I hated. A shell I had since been accustomed to seeing. He'd avoid all eye contact with me, or give me that _I-am-a-Malfoy_ look, and I became a speck of dirt on his shoes. It resulted in one thing; I wanted him more.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

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	3. The Happily Ever After

**Those Grey Eyes**

**POV: Hermione's**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**

**AN: The last chapter, :'( its ending. Thanks too everyone who came back to read this chapter :D**

**Oh, at least two months have gone by since the last chapter…**

**xoxoxoxox--Chapter 3: The Happily Ever After--xoxoxoxox**

I sat at the edge of the Great Lake, alone. I spent a lot of time alone these days. There was nothing better to do, and I felt hopelessly lost in my fairytale that would never come true. It had been months, days, and still, I never forgot. I never stopped _hoping_. I still wish that Draco would come back. I still wish that he would take back those words he had said so many months ago.

The wind howled, and I realized how cold it was. I stood. I decided to head back toward the Common Room, what else was there to do? I turned and saw those eyes. The very pair of grey eyes that caused all my pain, the pair I would give a hundred galleons to erase from my memory. I swallowed. Was this my imagination?

"Malfoy?" I asked suspiciously. If it was really him, why was he alone? Where were Crabbe and Goyle?

"Who else would I be?" he asked cold, heartless.

I swallowed. "Why are you here?" I tried to sound angry, annoyed; I failed.

"This _is_ a public area to Hogwarts students if you hadn't noticed, _Granger_." I blinked. Just another round of insults; I was kidding myself to actually think he might have come to _apologize_. I began to push past him. I didn't have the energy to argue, not today. I was just about to pass him when he held a hand up and touched my arm. I stopped. He shifted so that he was in front of me once again. "I didn't come to yell at you, Granger," his tone was much quieter. But I refused to look into his eyes. "I came to ask you a question," he finished.

I pushed his arm off me. "I'm listening," I whispered, looking anywhere but at him.

"How've you been, since…you know…the ball?" he looked down, avoiding my gaze.

I scoffed. Did he just ask me how I've been? I have been in an absolute mess since he said he loved me and then rejected me in the same sentence. "Like you care." I took half a step away from him. "Come to rub it in my face that you've messed with everything in my life? Piss off." Although my words were harsh, my tone was not. His being here, us talking, re-carved out old wounds, wounds which had not had time to heal. I forced a step forward, and began to walk away.

I didn't get far, "I've been terrible," I heard him mumble as I walked past him. I stopped in my tracks. We stood practically back to back in silence. He had said he was terrible. Terrible was waiting for a prince that never came. Terrible was thinking you hated someone but then fell in love with them. Terrible was what I was. Could it be he was too?

I heard a shuffle, and I knew he turned around. I knew that he was looking at the back of my head. Part of me wanted to walk away, wanted to take another step forward and leave him, just like he had done to me. But an even greater part of me wanted to turn around. I wanted to be in his arms, to be with him. And so I stood frozen. I couldn't get myself to turn around, nor could I just walk away.

Something touched my hand, and I realized it was Draco. His hand slowly found its way into mine, and he turned me around, ever so slowly until I was face to face with him. "How have _you_ been?" he questioned once again.

"How've I been?" I demanded harshly, "I've been horrible ever since the ball, you've ruined everything."

"I _had_ to give up on you, Hermione," he said firmly. I scoffed. I knew this was too perfect to be true. I turned away from him, waiting for the rejection. "You think it's easy to be in my position? Do you think it is easy being me, Hermione? I have reputations to uphold. I'm a _pureblood_; I have to be with a _pureblood_."

I tried to control my breathing. I felt like crying. How many times was he going to reject me? But I refused to cry because of him. I sucked in a breath and waited for it to end. "But I have given up." My head jerked back toward him. "I gave up weeks ago. I need you, Hermione." I looked into his eyes. They held the same look he gave me when we danced so many months ago, that same look that I fell in love with. The same look hidden under the cold shield that he put up everyday.

I felt my heart beat louder as time seemed to slow down. The wall I wanted to build so badly to keep him out was beginning to crumble. We stood there for a few minutes, I taking everything in, and Draco watching me. "Hermione?" he finally asked.

I looked into his eyes, and in that instant the wall I had just built burst into pieces. I needed him too; there was no reason to fight it. I leaned in and touched my lips to his.

When I pulled back, Draco looked at me, a small smile at his lips. "I need you, too," I whispered. His smile broadened as he opened his arms. I gladly fell into them. I felt more at peace then I had in a long time.

*****

Mini-epilogue

It was getting dark. Dinner was being served soon, and Draco and I decided to head back in. We walked hand in hand past all the staring people. I felt weird; I didn't like being watched in this sort of way. As if I wasn't living to the expectations they wanted me to keep. Draco leaned in to whisper in my ear, "What's wrong?"

"Them," I gestured with my head. "They keep staring."

Draco leaned in closer. "Let them stare, Hermione. Who cares what their reputations for us are? And the end of the day, we'll still have each other." I looked up that three inch or so gap between our heights. He was right. Why _did_ I care what they thought of me? I leaned in closer to Draco with a broad smile. Let them all think what they want, because reputations or not, I'd always have him.

**xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

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